The mad house: The death of Batman
by Mroz
Summary: Batman is needed to help put the criminals in Arkham back in their place, but he doesn't know what awaits him. He is getting old he will soon need to pass the torch. What will happen to him?


The mad house: The death of the dark crusader

Chapter 1

"What do you see?" The female doctor asked.

"Hehehe, I see an angel caressing the decaying body of a young boy" The Inmate giggled to himself.

"Okay, how about now?" the doctor held up a different card showing just a black spot.

"Mmmm, tricky one. Oh! I know tis me!" the inmate moved in the light, the green hair glowing from it. The huge yellow smile standing out from the pure white face and his red lips. His yellow eyes showed nothingness beneath them. "So doc am I insane" Joker said with a huge grin.

"Now joker you seem to have a split personality a form of Tourette's in some ways" The doctor replied without taking a look up from her note pad.

"Seriously doc English, not Klingon" Joker said with a bit of laughter. The room went silent and the doctor left. "Oh come on dearie you know I love you really….Don't leave me to raise the kids alone I need you" Joker burst into laughter. He moved around the room, he was placed with a straight jacket because of what he is capable of. The room was small about 8 by 8 and the light must have been 100 watts it shone like the sun. The joker pranced round like the room imitating a ballerina, and then the security interrupted him grabbing him by the arms.

"Hold on big boys not so rough on a first date" Laughing and grinning joker said.

"Enough jokes come on back to your cell" One of the guards said.

They took him through the halls of the asylum, passing by some of the craziest characters Gotham has ever seen. Two face stood at his cell door flipping a coin, still dressed in a suit which represented one half good and the other evil. The good was decorated white while the evil was black and red.

"How's it going Harvey? Deciding whether to take a piss or not?" Joker asked with a grin.

Two face glared back at him and replied "shut it joker, better hope one day your luck doesn't run out" He flipped the coin and caught it as it fell back down. *sigh* "you live now joker" he said as he walked back within his cell. Scarecrow was sitting with a corner mumble something to himself. "the dark….*mumbling*….it's coming…..fear is the key" Scarecrow looked up the sack over his head had eye holes cut out and where the mouth should be there were stitching .his frail body making anyone look at him think, how could he be so dangerous but it was all a gimmick. Scarecrow had set himself up on a farm before being captured; he acted like a scarecrow for days until he wasn't striking fear into people enough. So one of the days he gets down from his position in the field and heads for the farm house dragging a pitchfork behind him. The family inside had no idea as they sat down for their very last meal, Scarecrow tapped on the windows and doors panicking the family inside. The children cried as their parents hugged them trying to make them stop. When scarecrow was down he had killed both children, nailed the farther to the wall and left the mother and wife alone with scars on her face and body. He had promised her that he will be back and she still fears to this day that he is coming to finish what he started . Scarecrow had been affected by his own serum and with his great mind he had developed a sickness in which he can only cure if he would realise there is nothing within the dark.

"Calm down crowy, your scaring the kids" Joker said.

Finally joker had reached his room; he was tossed inside and left alone. Being used to being in solitary confinement as to speak of, he wasn't allowed out of his room like the rest he couldn't eat with the others and wasn't allowed within the garden for exercise without being alone and guarded by snipers. But he had one final thing to deal with he wanted batman dead he was going to do it with a bang and lots of colours as his mind went to work people on the outside of his cell was placing together a plan for criminals as well.

Within the offices of Arkham the administrator was looking through files, while his new secretary was at work bringing in new papers for him to sign. At an instance the administrator looked up and before he got a look at the person in front of him he had his throat slit with a switchblade, blood spurted from his neck his aorta had been cut he would be dead within seconds. Then it happened within a flash explosions went across through the whole asylum knocking out power to the auto-locking cells, the doors swung open the criminals rushed the guards. "Such a pathetic waste of life" two face said as he watched the crazies attack guards and getting themselves killed within the process. He looked down to notice a 9mm a guard had dropped, he picked it up and pocketed it and seeming less walked away from the chaos in front of him. Black mask appeared from his cell walking calmly towards a group of guards who had their backs towards him, the closest guard to him had his neck snapped instantly. Black mask pick up the guards baton and 9mm, he swung the baton at the second guard hitting the temple and he shot the third guard in the back five times. He repeatedly attacked the now unconscious guard with the baton until he was dead. Joker walked out of his cell still confined to the straight jacket he was subdued in, a passing criminal came by with a shard of glass in his hand. "Hey pretty boy come help me out of my dress" Joker said with a giggle. The man looked at him and shrugged and tore open the jacket barely missing the clothes underneath. "Why gee thanks mister" joker said with a childlike voice, he then took the shard of glass from the man's hand and slit his throat with it. Joker pranced around the body before walking away dropping the glass to the floor.

Chapter 2:

Bruce had turned on the TV to witness the chaos that had appeared on the news. "New reports suggest that all the major criminals of Arkham have escaped their cells and are killing the staff within the walls of the asylum, will these criminals escape and will batman be able to put them back?" Bruce sat their thinking who could have set this up, his torso showed scars from previous encounters of criminals like the joker and killer croc. Bruce had just reached 40 and he was still fit as he ever was but his body couldn't take much more of the damage these criminals can do. Never the less he got up and proceeded to go through his mansion towards his secret entrance to the bat cave, Bruce pulled down on a lever on a retro arcade machine revealing an elevator. Bruce took this down below the mansion, after leaving the elevator he proceeded towards the armoury, in there was different bat suits each with their own abilities. Bruce picked his regular suit with standard armour. Attaching his utility belt and grabbing hold of the bat planes keys. Without hesitation he climbed in and set off not knowing what fiendish plans the criminals of Arkham have stirred up.

"Come on you fools, LIFT!" joker ordered to his new recruits, they had been pulling the ropes to killer crocs cage which was held deep bellow the floors of Arkham. Killer croc was known to be human just with a very rare condition in which he was more reptilian than man, after being called a freak and ditched by his own parent's killer croc became more animal than man. Years went by and Croc grew to 8ft tall and weighed over 500 pounds. The cage was lifted and Croc was now on the main floor in front of joker. "LET ME OUT YOU CLOWN!" Croc roared striking fear into the hearts of all the criminals except joker.  
>"Calm down, Now Gatorade I'll let you if you help me" Joker said with a devilish grin.<p>

"Okay what will I have to do?" Croc asked, his reptilian eyes glared at joker.

"Help me kill the batman" Joker stared back at the huge beast.

Croc grinned bearing his sharp and rugged teeth "deal"

Joker walked over to the cage and opened it with a key he had got from the administrators office. Croc walked out pulling at the collar around his neck, eventually pulling it off and crushing it in his hand sparks flew from the collar. "Finally free now time to lay wait then hunt" Croc grinned.

"Do be careful not to hurt our dear associates" joker smiled and walked away. Looking at one of the deceased staff joker saw that he had a nice black trench coat; he picked it up and proceeded to wear it. "Why thank you sir for this lovely coat" he said as he walked away looking through the pockets. Going through the halls he saw that most of the guard's bodies were placed against walls or being burnt, inmates ran through the halls one knocking joker. With an intense glare joker stared at the inmate who had fallen began to crawl back. "now dear it's not nice to run inside the halls people may get hurt" He said pulling out a knife "let's make sure you don't hurt anyone now" The inmate screamed and it echoed through the halls, people stopped in their tracks at the screaming and then it stopped.

Commissioner Gordon had set up a barricade around Arkham, so no one gets in or out until he could figure out what was going on. Within the blink of an eye Batman appeared next to the commissioner. "What's going on then Gordon?" Batman asked his eyes not even moving from their stare on Arkham. Gordon not even surprised by the fact he appeared from nowhere answered "well we don't know there's no demands, all we know is that there are some staff still locked in there but we don't know which facility they are in" Without even asking anymore questions the crusader made his way towards the asylum. Confronting the mad house will be the biggest challenge he has ever faced.

Chapter 3:

Within the walls of Arkham fires raged on trees and bonfires, inmates stood around them keeping warm and making sure no police set foot. Little did they know that batman was above waiting to strike, checking his surroundings he watched the four men around the bonfire. Taking note that they had knives and lead pipes at hand, easy to dispatch if he was quick. In a flash he dropped on one of the inmates shoulders snapping them with his weight and the weight of his armoured suit, with the element of surprise still in affect he dispatched the next inmate taking hold of the lead pipe and breaking his ribs with the weapon. Swinging it at the next inmate who ran with the knife shattering his arm then knocking him out. The final inmate began to run but didn't get far thanks to batman throwing the lead pipe at his head, knocking him clean out dispatched easily batman makes his way towards the medical facility on the island in hope of finding the missing people.

In the medical facility scarecrow had begun working on his hallucinogen making it even stronger, the chemicals fizzed and bubbled and gave off deadly toxins, scarecrow's mask was able to prevent him breathing in the toxins. Tied in the corner of the medical lab was two nurses the soon to be test subjects of scarecrows new toxin "thriller"

"Please let us go" one of the nurses said.

"Quiet, my pretty" scarecrow said in a calm tone, he didn't even glance in their direction, he just continued mixing chemicals until he was satisfied with what he had done. At that moment Black mask walked in, dressed smartly in a grey three piece suit and black tie. "Ah ha scarecrow how is the new chemical coming along?" He asked. "Splendidly" scarecrow replied still not looking up from the chemicals bubbling within the flasks. Scarecrow gave off a psychotic laugh "I have done, now time to test it, if you please black mask stand behind the window outside" Black mask just nodded and walked out standing in front of the window. Scarecrow moved ever so closer to his victims, fear had already stricken them tears began to roll down their faces they tried to moved but their bonds were bound to tight, scarecrow poured the liquid on the floor as soon as it hit the floor the toxic vapour began to rise. Scarecrow cut the bonds and quickly escaped and locked the room taking a stance next to black mask who was now grinning; the nurses inside the room began to bang on the doors and the windows. One of the nurses began to stare off into an empty space what she thought she could see was a small boy, nine years old perhaps. "You got to get out of her, run!" the nurse screamed but the boy didn't move he stood there and began to smile oddly his grin was to wide, blood began to seep through his eyes as he smiled his skin stretched and began to tear, revealing nothing but blackness underneath, no skin no blood no bones and no muscle it was as if the boy wasn't existing he was just nothingness. The nurse screamed loudly and began to gouge out her eyes with her bare hands; the second nurse had already smashed her head against the wall because she thought that her ex-psychotic boyfriend was actually doing it. "Scarecrow what have you made?" black mask stood their awestruck. "I have perfected my original hallucinogen to something much better something darker" Scarecrow began to laugh and moved back into the room ignoring the bodies and continuing with his work.

Batman had reached the medical facility all was quiet except for the faint screaming coming from inside, he had to rush to save the people who was trapped inside as he kicked open the doors, he saw nothing but a bloody mess waiting him, doctors and nurses on the floor blood pools covering most of the floor. One inmate stood in the hallway staring at batman "come on then bats!" the inmate yelled as he ran towards batman, but batman was aware and flicked his cape as a distraction confusing the inmate who began to slash widely. Batman ducked and stepped out of the way but was unaware of the second knife the inmate had pulled out; the convict stuck the knife deep within the shoulder blade of batman. The crusader didn't flinch but pulled it out and stabbed the inmate himself, darkness begun to cloud batman's mind he had grown mentally stronger as the batman and knew when someone deserved to die or not to, it was him or the inmate. Over the passing months batman grew darker and darker his mind started to corrupt in ways in which if a criminal was a murderer he would kill them in self-defence instead of knocking them out, something had really got to him but what?

Joker pranced round the administrator's office taking odd glances at the work which had been done to the administrator and his secretary, Joker grabbed the tanoy microphone. "Hello serial killers and psychopaths, I am the joker as you know I'm now in charge since our dear administrator is now laying on the floor dead. It has come to my attention that we have no way off the island and swat will be here soon or the batman, if anyone kills the batman I will do things unimaginable to you, he is mine to kill and MINE ONLY! Thank you and have a nice day" Joker smiled evilly, he picked up a pencil and began to sharpen it. Black mask burst into the room "JOKER! Who do you think you are? You think you are boss?" black mask was clearly angry. Joker smiled and giggled to himself "okay then Mr mask why don't you try take me out of power if you're up for it" joker waved the newly sharpened pencil at him. "Joker you think you can stop me with a pencil?" Black mask asked before joker could reply, black mask had pounced and then it happened, in the blink of an eye joker had moved from the seat as black mask dived onto the table and the pencil was stuck between the shoulder blade. Black mask rived in agony "You son of a…" black mask was cut off. "ahahah mind your language I don't like that in my house, now if you obey I'll let you keep your life or you can try again and lose" joker smiled at him something sparkled within his eye, joker wasn't right he had a 'super-sanity' as the doctors called it while others just think he is mad. "Fine, joker now get this pencil outta me now" Black mask said still in pain from the pencil in-between his shoulder blades. Joker removed the pencil wiping the blood off of it on to black mask's suit; Black mask said nothing about this and just promptly walked out of the room. "We should do this another time baby doll" Joker said giving a wink.

Batman continued through the medical facility looking through the odd window and doorway to check for survivors but all he found were madmen, one room had 8 men stood in it with black jumpsuits all wearing strange masks. One had a cream mask with an elongated nose, one with a clown mask, one with white mask and deadlocks coming out of it, one with a black mask and pins sticking out of it, one mask was white and had blood coming from the mouth, another was just a plain white mask and the man's hair came out of the top and the final one was a robotic style mask. Batman shrugged it off but as he moved his shoulder pain struck him, he looked at it the blade had gone in deep just past the metal sheets of armour a lucky strike he thought as he carried on through the hallway. He reached it the medical lab someone had to be here, he opened the door there was no one was inside all that waited for him was empty flasks and two dead nurses, he examined the room then it happened. Scarecrow had dropped from the roof knocking batman to the floor. "Hello bats" scarecrow with a little laughter. "Shut it scarecrow I'm here to put you down" Batman said with an angry tone. With that said he jumped up throwing a punch which scarecrow dodged with ease, in return scarecrow gave a kick batman grabbed hold of his leg and twisted it putting him into an ankle lock, without a hints hesitation he snapped it clean. Scarecrow writhed on the floor in pain "you…you. You'll pay for that" scarecrow screamed he dropped a vial onto floor its contents soon turned into the toxic vapour, before batman could even try escape he breathed some of it in. Batman quickly rushed outside of the building to be away from any tools he could do harm while under the toxins hallucinations.

Chapter 4:

Batman fell to the floor as soon as he got out of the medical facility he gazed but at the sky for a mere second before he closed his eyes. "Come on Bruce, hurry up its raining" Bruce heard his mum call. "Okay coming" he replied back, as he ran towards them, he grabbed his mother's hand and his father's. They walked out upon the pouring rain just coming out of the cinemas, but this wasn't right this wasn't how Bruce remembered the night, there was no rain he didn't have to be reminded to hurry up. Then it happened as Bruce looked up to see his mother's face he caught the gaze of scarecrow. "Come on Bruce, its bed time" scarecrows voice echoed through the streets. "No no, NO! This isn't right, LET GO OF ME!" Bruce said as he gave a leg sweep to drop the mixture of scarecrow and his mother. "Don't do that to your mother Bruce" he heard the voice on the right of him; Bruce looked up only to see two-face stood there. Bruce ran he couldn't take it all in; his memory of his parents was being ruined by the very criminals he hated. Batman awoke sweating in the middle of a road, unknown where he was only thing on his mind was to find who was responsible for this mess and put them behind a cell door.

Throughout the whole island scarecrow had placed his toxin in strategic points, all booby trapped for when the swat came into Arkham, the only problem was the toxic vapour had to be inhaled within 5 minutes or it would have no effect. As scarecrow walked through the streets and placed his traps within bushes and staff cars, he wondered if batman had given up and ended his own life. Out of know where scarecrow was hit in the back, he swung round and began to tremble in fear batman had survived. "What how is this possible you should have killed yourself" scarecrow managed to say. "You cannot kill the batman" batman replied. Then batman grabbed hold of the vials of toxin, ripped off scarecrows mask to reveal Jonathon crane, he forced his mouth open. "Time to take the medicine doc, this should keep you out of trouble" Batman said. The toxin poured down his throat, batman turned and walked away he didn't have time for this and needed to find the main building, should be too hard he had been here many times before.

Crane picked himself up and walked around unknown to the effects that would take place after ingesting his own toxin, he wondered what made batman snap the once dark knight had become something he hated, crane knew he had only minutes to live so he thought about the woman he left. The life he could have had if he hadn't been caught up with all of this, he had it all one day then as soon as he took up been a psychologist for criminals he realised what he could do what he could create then he became fear, he killed the woman he loved and regretted that and always had. "I'm joining you now Maria" Crane said with a tear in his eye. As he looked around he saw Marias blooded face "WHY? Why did you do this to me crane?" she said. She was still beautiful to him with a torn white dress tattered in blood he pale skin. "I didn't mean to Maria" crane began to cry, he swore he could feel her hand on him. "Follow me crane, follow me" Maria said her voice echoed through his mind, he stood up and followed her. They walked for a good fifth teen minutes, Maria floated in the air just off the cliff. "Take my hand crane" she said while beaconing him, crane acknowledged and walked, he fell towards the rocks below.

Chapter 5:

Batman began to feel the effects of causing from his wound that the inmate gave him, his head banged liked a hangover from the toxin scarecrow used but still he had to go on. "Ooooh batman" the voice rung loud over the tanoy, it was joker. "Bats' let's play a game, I'll give you to the count of ten then ill release croc" Batman looked stunned already weakened how could he take on croc, he began to run trying to keep his wits about him and to find joker, as he reached the gardens of the main building he began to hear heavy breathing and loud footsteps. Croc was close fear gripped batman for the first time in years, but nothing will break his spirit he carried on in a crouch trying to stick to the shadows, his weapon he was to become invisible making sure croc couldn't pick up on his scent. Croc walked round sniffing the air, crushing branches as he walked the ground shook at points knocking batman off balancing at one point. "Batman….where are you?" croc asked with a sinister grin. Within a split second croc caught hold of batman's scent, his grin bared even wider showing the sharp teeth. Without hesitation batman ran he looked around and spotted a guard tower if he could reach it he could hide up there until he thought of a plan, Croc was on his case luckily the ground was best for croc and so he was too bulky to catch the smaller batman. Using his grappling hook batman aimed for the top of the tower and zipped up there, searching round the tower all batman could find was a shotgun and a radio, he wasn't about to kill another person even if that person looked like a croc and weighed 500 pounds and could tear him limb from limb. "Come down batman, I can smell the fear" croc said with a little laughter, batman paced across the small room thinking of ways he could get out of this mess.

Watching from a distance on the Cliffside stood Nightwing, his suit glossy black armour steel plated but light as a feather, thanks to Wayne industries and some connections. He stood with a sniper over his back. "great old Bruce in trouble and I packed tranquilizers for normal people" he mumbled to himself, he laid down slowed his heart beat and held his breath, looking through the scope he had a perfect shot and croc who paced round the tower, he had one shot at this if he missed he'd have to kill croc. Croc stopped now was the chance, nightwing aimed slightly to the left and just above crocs neck, he squeezed the trigger.

"Huh? What the…" Croc said. "Hahaha that all you…got bat…man" croc said sleepily, he fell against the tower it shook with his weight batman toppled over falling on his wounded arm. "AHHH! I'm getting too old for this" batman said in agony, never the less he got up, stood on the edge of the tower and jumped, he gripped his cape and used it to glide him down towards the doors of the main building. He landed on his feet and preceded through the doors, surprisingly the criminals hadn't thought of locking them so it must be a trap, batman prepared entering.

The door creaked open as batman walked through the floor covered with blood and papers, bodies of doctors and some inmates lay on the floor with blood stained clothes. Batman walked past the dead bodies feeling sorrow for the families that would have lost loved ones here, he glanced at walls seeing "come on batz time is running out" written in blood, batman thought joker had wrote this seen as only he would call him that. He continued down the hall and proceeding up the stairs taking note of the statue of Arkham, the man who this placed was named after and eventually held him in here, his cell was said to be covered in ramblings of Arkham he wrote without a pen but carved in the wall with his fingernails. Batman opened the door to the stairs then it hit him, three inmates walked out wearing white jump suits and holding pipes, batman rolled back and getting in a ready stance. The first inmate came at him swinging the pipe madly, easily countered for batman grabbing hold of the inmate's right arm taking note of the U.S.M.C tattoo and breaking his arm at elbow, the inmate dropped with the pain and began yell profanity in agony. The other two charged at batman together, being more careful trying to take down batman by one swinging for the chest and one going for his right leg, with jumping back batman threw a smoke bomb to the ground confusing the inmates using the confusion he attacked quickly taking out one with a sleeper hold and then the next with a brutal leg sweep and a stomp to the chest. Batman ignored the cries of pain from the man who had most of his ribs broken as he walked through the doorway.

3 hours earlier (swat frontline)

"Come on Batman let me go in with you I'm much more use to you than being out here with a tranq gun" Nightwing said. "No, I work alone" Batman said without hesitation. "You're not working alone now though I'm keeping you covered when your outside and if you'd let me I can keep you covered inside" Nightwing said. "Forget it last time you killed three people with brutal tactics" Batman said with the I am right look. "Ey that was fair game they was warned to drop the weapons, now let me in" Nightwing said raising his voice. "forget it, Look take this and read it cause I'm not too sure about this and I hate to admit it but I'm getting too old for this" Batman said his voice becoming like that of a scared child, he handed the note to Nightwing who took and placed it within his belt. "Alright then batman I'll go to the Cliffside but I'm telling you I am right" Nightwing said while grabbing the rifle.

Batman shook of the thoughts of earlier and began to actually think of passing on the mantle of batman, he could give it to dick but still he was arrogant and reckless. Batman passed through the hallway of what seemed like an endless library. "Greetings Bruce, what a pleasure it is seeing you hear" a voice in the corner said. "Who is it? Show yourself" Batman said with a loud tone. The figure got up and moved from the shadows, it was bane. Bane had given up venom to try life a without it so far he was clean for 76 days and counting. "No need to threat Mr Wayne, I mean you no harm I merely wish to talk to you and tell you what is going on" Bane said, in a posh tone. "And what is actually going on" Batman replied still ready to pounce if need be. "well Mr Wayne, Joker is tired of your games with each other and now wants you gone he wants to play with a new toy, so he is getting anyone to try take you out" Bane said still acting calm while now resting back in the chair. "So bane why aren't you trying to break me" Batman replied still with an angry tone. "it appears I am already the man who broke the bat but I have no issues with you I'm trying to live a normal life and I'm planning on leaving here, though before we depart please know Joker has been to the vault for his toys and is waiting for you in the cafeteria" Bane said, he got up. He wore a black vest top, with black tracksuit pants and military boots, he still wore the same black and white mask and had the venom pipes connecting from his hand to his neck but nothing was pumping through them. He walked away the way batman had just come. Confused by what just happened batman walked around looking for different ways into a cafeteria but as he did Black mask had slipped into the room with half a dozen inmates.

Chapter 6: end game

"Ey! Batman" Black mask called out, drawing a switchblade as he did it. "We found some of our favourite toys down in the vault" He gestured with the blade in hand. "Get him boys" He said as he sat down in the chair in the corner. Batman readied himself the six men spilt into three groups of two and began to surround batman, quicker than the normal inmates one ran behind batman and cut through the crusader's cape and into his back, before he could get away Batman had his arm and swung him round until he let go sending the inmate into the wall, he flunked to the floor unconsciously. Another two inmates ran towards him each with batons in hand as they tried to take the crusader down by swinging aimlessly, Batman ducked and the inmate to the left took a blow to the head from his partner, as he was rendered unconscious batman took the moment to grab the other inmates throat and began to squeeze crushing it within his hand. He threw the lifeless body towards the corner of the room, batman felt nothing as he did this only the pain in his back he had to carry on though this was the end of this fight and he realised more than ever he had to pass the mantle on one day.

Nightwing had reached the ground level of Arkham, he had always hated this place when he was robin, every now and then when Bruce was busy he had to venture he and take care of escaped criminals or investigate strange goings on. But now it was personal he had to save Bruce from himself and try to make sure nothing bad happened to him, now Bruce had a son which he trained to become robin but he never had the courage to take him out into the field always saying "it's too dangerous" Nightwing shook off the thoughts he was having he ran silently across the ground towards the main building hoping to catch up with Bruce and helping him out.

Just before batman entered the cafeteria he made sure he had everything he will need, he equipped his latest gadget, the pulse glove. The glove only activated when colliding at high speed with any surface, he shocked and stunned the person or thing it came in contact with sending electronic charges through their boy paralyzing them for a few seconds. He was ready it was now or never, he booted the doors open to reveal a huge room with balloons and banners saying "happy death day"

"SURPRISE BATZ" Joker yelled with a giggle, he bounced round the room. He had now found his purple suit with green waist coat and a new purple tie to go with it, a floor was placed on the suit most likely his old acid toy. "Joker I'm putting you back in your cell" Batman said stepping closer and closer. "I wouldn't do that batz" Joker said with a glare and a grin. "And why not?" batman stopped in his tracks. "Cause I have this whole room lit with fireworks" Joker said his grin was now from ear to ear. "So batman you've beat croc, bane didn't do anything sadly, Black mask the coward has run and scarecrow killed himself cause of you. Great you've spoiled my guest list now no one is coming to your party, Ah well more cake for us. Oh and before you ask batman no Harley didn't release us, I don't know where she is or who has" Joker now talking in a serious manner. "But times up batman, Our era has ended as you know I've got a son, he is with Harley where ever she is and he has come of age, crazy as his farther he is, so now batman I say goodbye" Joker drew a revolver out of his back pocket, he aimed and fired batman dived out of the way but was still skimmed by the bullet on his abdomen. He got up and dived at joker, they wrestled on the floor neither one getting a clear punch on each other, but joker exploited the wounds he could tell they hurt so he prodded and punched them. This caused massive amounts of pain for batman, he keeled over and joker began to kick him in the stomach "Oh batz I thought you would put up more of a fight, shame" Joker was laughing hysterically. "I'm not done yet" Batman said with a groan he turned the tables putting joker into an ankle lock snapping it completely. "You bastard!" joker yelled. Batman stood up trying not to fall. "It's over joker" He said. "No, not yet I've one more trick up my sleeve, let's play a game, you have ten seconds to get out before you fried batman" Joker said and activated the bombs. Batman had no time to grab joker so he left him and ran.

The building began to crumble with the explosions going on, rubble fell from the roofs. Nightwing turned back after seeing batman running towards, they ran together for a while but then batman collapsed "GO! Dick GO!" batman yelled. Dick turned round and picked batman up over his shoulders "I'm not leaving you to die" He said. He ran towards the entrance the doors had been blown open, he dived outside knocking batman off his shoulders and collapsing himself. "Bruce! Are you okay?" Dick said. "Yeah….I am fine…let's going….home" Bruce said, his suit was torn and dented from the rubble.

Chapter 7: the end

"Will he be alright Alfred, will farther live?" Young Damian said. "He will be alright master Damian now let your farther rest. Alfred led the young boy out of the room just as Dick came in. Alfred gave him a grim look, Dick knew it was going to happen he was now preparing himself to let go and look after Bruce's son, Dick sat next to Bruce who was lying in bed partly conscious. "Dick…look after Damian and just be aware, I don't expect you to take my role" Bruce said barely breathing now. "Come on Bruce you're going to be fine you always are, this is nothing but a scratch" Dick tried to hold back the tears some escaped and rolled down his face. "Don't cry, its fine I'm at peace, just make sure Damian, Alfred and Gotham are safe, Dick" Bruce said. "Yeah Bruce" Dick looked up to him more tears rolling down his face, he loved Bruce like a farther he took him in. "I love you, you was like a son you did me proud" Dick just began to hug Bruce, hoping that it was just a bad dream and that he was okay. It all happened so fast Bruce just stopped breathing, Dick sobbed more but he had to do Bruce proud, he stood up shook himself off and walked out of the room. He swore to himself he was going to make every villain, every criminal fear batman still, Bruce Wayne died today but his legend lives. He made his way out of the house by passing Alfred who was comforting Damian, he walked out into the garden and into the bat cave. There he worked day and night for the next fortnight to make the suit.


End file.
